Share.

17 Comments

  1. Harrry-Otter on

    Always amazed me that it didn’t. I remember my 1st mortgage application. Apparently the £7 a month to Netflix and £40 at a pub were significant, but the £900 every month going to Savills wasn’t.

  2. Humble_Local_2954 on

    “The reforms will see mortgages offered at more than 4.5 times a buyer’s income, which Labour claims will create up to 36,000 additional mortgages in its first year in operation.”

    Being able to borrow at increasing ratios of your earnings is what got the property market into this mess in the first place.

  3. BatVisual5631 on

    It’s definitely a positive step so far as affordability checks go, but it doesn’t change the larcenous cost of property or the deposits and lending multipliers which apply and which are a barrier for first time buyers.

    Unfortunately if those are also relaxed, it will just push prices up. Look what happened when women’s incomes could be taken into account, or when interest rates were low – prices just went up as there was more credit available.

    The only solution – the only one – is to build more and drive up supply.

  4. Think they already do this because my broker was able to use my history paying rent to get my mortgage.

  5. SmartDiscussion2161 on

    About time too!! After 3 years of paying £1200 a month in rent, the lenders decided that there was no possible was I could afford more than £800 a month mortgage.

    I understand that lenders are taking on a risk with lending large amounts of money, but seriously, if you have a solid record of paying rent on time it absolutely should count

  6. Beautiful_Bad333 on

    Only thing I would say is that does this put your credit ratings at the mercy of letting agents? If so they need to ensure letting agencies are suitably qualified/competent to do this and any additional costs to them will of course be passed on to the landlords and in turn the tenants.

    Allowing borrowing above 4.5x salary will also fuel house price growth and in turn add to the increase in renters not being able to afford to buy. Great if you own property now, but not so great if you’re trying to get on the ladder and out of rentals.

    When are we going to see this mass boom of affordable housing, I think this is the only way we fix the issue.

  7. I’ve been renting the same house for 20 years never missed a payment! Bit late to buy now for me but hopefully will help others if that happens 

  8. Plastic-Suggestion95 on

    Doesnt this mean prices will skyrocket tho? More people can afford=higher demand=higher prices=cant afford again

  9. World_of_Distraction on

    How does this measure stop the ridiculous inflation in house prices? It just means that everyone can borrow more in an environment with a scarce resource.

  10. Several-Roof-6439 on

    Does making mortgages easier to access not make anyone worry just a bit. 

    We have a lovely AI bubble building – why not make another weird property one at the same time. 

  11. Turbulent_Art745 on

    Great news, now welcome to levels of debt no other generation has ever seen…

  12. Routine-Aerie-6361 on

    When I moved into a Rental property from my family home my credit rating fell by 300-400 points. I wonder if they’ll look into that too?

    Oh I’m sorry I’m making enough to move out and pay rent to someone else, that definitely means my credit rating should get nuked. A year on and none of it is returned? Oh I’m sorry I’m in a stable financial situation, this is totally fair.

  13. The cynic in me thinks that this will just mean even the slightest late payment will negatively affect your credit score… With everything else it actually takes a lot of noncompliance for things to come up on your credit score.

    The credit score system was never set up to be for the benefit of consumers.

  14. The article mixes credit referencing with banks looking at your financial history via your statements.

    Taking into account having successfully paid your rent is one thing, giving landlords an opportunity to outright lie or to misrepresent a dispute is another.

    I’m not surprised Experian would push for a role for themselves when interviewed, but I’m not sure I’d want the shittier end of the landlord pool putting things on people’s credit records.